Introduction:

As a full featured motherboard, the P5E3 Premium [email protected] Edition is equipped with the latest and greatest hardware and innovations. Supporting the latest Intel 45nm CPUs, 8GB of DDR3 memory at speeds of up to 2000MHz (overclocked, of course), dual 802.11n wireless LAN as well as dual gigabit capability, the P5E3 Premium is just a fully loaded motherboard. But wait, there's more! Additional features include the eight channel high definition sound, three 16x PCI-E slots, two for graphics and one for universal use, Express Gate for the ability to gain access to the Internet without going into the OS in as little as five seconds, new power control circuits for the CPU, and memory and northbridge chipset to enable the enthusiast to extract the most from their hardware. Wait, there's still more!! The P5E3 Premium features an EPU (Energy Processing Unit) that Asus says can save up to 80.23% in CPU power consumption. Pretty substantial if it can do it. In today's world of ever increasing energy costs, any place to save money makes the inclusion of this technology that much more attractive in an electronic device, in this case a motherboard, the P5E3 Premium [email protected] Edition.

Closer Look:

The front of the packaging highlights some of the main features of the P5E3 Premium. Since energy savings and being "green" are main selling points in today's energy conscious world, it is only fitting that these items are out front where they can be seen. The small chip seen in the bottom right corner signifies that this P5E3 Premium motherboard is equipped with an EPU (Energy Processing Unit) that helps minimize the amount of energy consumed while touting an 80+ percent energy savings. The rear panel includes the specifications as well as a brief explanation for some of the main features of the P5E3, including the Asus EPU, Express Gate, [email protected] and the newest iteration of Asus's eight phase power design. But wait, there is more. Flip open the lid and find a detailed desciption on the Asus EPU and some of the additional features.

The outer sleeve that contains the bulk of the information slides off to reveal a plain black box with the AI Life graphic. Opening the box, I was greeted by the usual abundance of accessories that Asus provides. The P5E3 Premium is located just under a divider panel that keeps the accessories from doing damage in transit.

After getting a glimpse of the bundle of accessories, let's see just what was included.